Tooth care unit

Abstract

For use with a toothpaste tube having a conical end face surrounding an exteriorly threaded nipple there is a rigid stem long enough to be grasped by a user. A hub on the stem is interiorly threaded to engage the tube threads. A bristle base having bristles therein is removably engageable with the stem. The bristle base, the stem and the hub have a connecting interior passageway to conduct toothpaste from the tube when squeezed to the bristle base. The toothpaste tube and the stem serve for manipulation of the bristles.

I claim: 
     
       1. A tooth care unit for use with a toothpaste tube having a substantially conical end face surrounding an outer nipple having an exterior thread comprising a rigid, elongated stem of a size readily grasped by a user; a hub on said stem having an interior thread therein adapted to engage said exterior thread; an end shoulder on said stem adapted to abut said end face; a circular-cylindrical hollow boss on said stem and extending laterally therefrom; means defining a circular passageway open at both ends and extending continuously through said hub, said stem and said boss; a plate having an opening therethrough adapted to be journalled on the exterior of said boss for rotation around said boss and relative to said stem; bristles upstanding from said plate; and means defining a radial groove in said plate adapted partially to receive said stem to inhibit free rotation of said plate around said boss. 
     
     
       2. A tooth care unit for use with a toothpaste tube having a substantially conical end face surrounding an outlet nipple having an exterior thread comprising a rigid, elongated stem of a size readily grasped by a user; a hub on said stem having an interior thread thereon adapted to engage said exterior thread; an end shoulder on said stem adapted to engage said end face; means on said stem on the exterior providing a journal and on the interior having a central hollow; means defining a continuous passageway open at both ends and extending through said hub and said stem and into said central hollow; a bristle block having a central opening therethrough adapted to turn on and communicate with said central hollow; and means on said bristle block defining lateral grooves therein adapted to engage said stem as a detent. 
     
     
       3. A tooth care unit for use with a toothpaste tube having a substantially conical end face surrounding an outer nipple having an exterior thread comprising a rigid, elongated stem of a size readily grasped by a user; a hub on said stem having an interior thread thereon adapted to engage said exterior thread; an end shoulder on said stem adapted to abut said end face; a bristle block having two opposite sides; bristles in said block and projecting from one of said sides thereof; means defining a transverse opening entirely through said bristle block between said two sides thereof; hollow cylindrical means extending transversely from said stem and through said transverse opening between the opposite sides of said bristle block to provide a journal engagement between said block and said stem; means for providing a detent engagement between said bristle block and said stem; and means in said stem for conducting toothpaste from said nipple to and through said hollow means to said bristle block.